Castro to Magalong: Stop sowing intrigue

National

THE rift between Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Malacañang deepened as the Palace insisted his resignation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) was voluntary and urged him to stop fueling intrigue.

Magalong earlier lamented that a press briefing by Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro had effectively sent a message for him to “stand down” and stop looking into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.

He said he appeared to have “struck a nerve” and “hit too close to home,” though he did not elaborate.

At a Palace briefing, Castro maintained that Magalong’s decision to quit was entirely his own. “He voluntarily resigned. He was not asked to resign,” she said in a report by Philstar.

She explained that the mayor had been appointed only as a special adviser, not as an investigator, and that he could have taken on a broader role only if he had stepped down as Baguio City mayor.

“We hope we can avoid the guessing game and refrain from sowing intrigue, especially when it comes to my job,” Castro said in the same report.

Castro said the President respected Magalong’s choice to stay in his local post but added that speculation about her statements should stop. She appealed to the public to avoid fueling intrigue and to refrain from interpreting her remarks as politically motivated.

Magalong submitted his resignation late last month after Castro’s earlier comments appeared to limit his authority to investigate.

He said the Palace’s pronouncements contradicted the terms of his appointment and weakened the mandate he was given.

Castro later clarified that her earlier remarks about consulting the Palace legal team on Magalong’s role were made under the President’s instructions. She dismissed claims that her actions were influenced by others and urged against spreading unverified stories.(MyTVCebu)